


in the name of

by cherrykirsch



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Girls, Alternate Universe - Sailor Moon Fusion, Developing Friendships, Disguise, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship, Magical Girls, Mutual Pining, Romance, Slow To Update, fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-25 04:01:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14370465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrykirsch/pseuds/cherrykirsch
Summary: Haru’s first thought is that she looks like she’s out of a shoujo manga.Her second thought is that she looks gorgeous.And her third thought is that all of this is actually very ridiculous and that she’d like to be out of this insane get-up and back in her sweater and leggings, thank you very much. So, she turns back to reason with the talking cat.[SLOW UPDATES]





	in the name of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 29th March 2019: Edited tense mistakes and added more for clarity!

When all the glitter fades away and the glow subsides from her skin, Haru looks in the mirror and stares at herself. 

She’s wearing a shockingly short navy blue skirt over a leotard with a seifuku collar and giant red bow, and over the knee red boots that she can somehow walk in. Her ears glitter with crescent moon earrings and a golden tiara adorns her forehead, as she tilts her head she catches sight of the feather barrettes in her hair and she takes an involuntary step back, trying to take everything in. The brooch in the middle of the bow bounces slightly on her chest as she moves.

Haru’s first thought is that she looks like she’s out of a shoujo manga.

Her second thought is that she looks gorgeous.

And her third thought is that all of this is actually _very_ ridiculous and that she’d like to be out of this insane get-up and back in her sweater and leggings, thank you very much. So, she turns back to reason with the talking cat.

“I don’t want this,” Haru tells Morgana, her voice high and reedy as Morgana stares at her, his tail twitching. “I don’t want to be a Sailor-whatever you said, I want to go back to my sweater.” 

Morgana peers at her. “You really like that sweater.” 

“It’s a really good sweater. But that’s not the point!” Haru cries, fumbling at the brooch on her bow as she tries to detach it from herself and throw it as far as she can away from her. “I look ridiculous! Find someone else to save the world and defeat demons or whatever is you’re trying to convince me to do!” 

“Well, I can’t _now_ ,” Morgana says with a roll of his eyes. “You transformed. You’re Sailor Moon, and there’s nothing that either of us can do about it. I’m actually surprised, I didn’t think it’d work; you’re the third girl I’ve tried.” 

Haru’s hands still on the brooch as she looks at Morgana, her eyes wide. “Excuse me?” She asks quietly, anxiousness and panic creeping into her voice. “What happened to the other two?”

Morgana grins, flashing sharp, feline teeth at her. “Exploded.” He says and Haru shrieks in surprise, jolting her hands away from herself so quickly she knocks her elbow against the mirror and knocks herself off balance, toppling onto the floor as Morgana laughs. “I was joking! Don’t worry, you’re the first girl I tried, after all, I was looking for you, Haru.” 

Haru rubs her sore elbow and looks up at Morgana, all the anger and frustration ebbing into a muted kind of acceptance. “Looking for me?” She asks, head tilted slightly to the side. “Why me? And how did you know where to find me?” 

Morgana shrugs as well as a cat can. “I don’t know why you, and I just kind of knew.” He says as he leaps from her bed onto the floor, sitting on the floor in front of her as she straightens up and sits cross-legged on the carpet. “I was just drawn to you. You have a nice energy.” 

Haru looks at Morgana and then looks at the brooch in the middle of her chest, carefully lifting her hands to cup it in them, regarding the brooch carefully. It’s circular and just a little smaller than the palm of her hand, gold plated with the top colored pale pink; there a pink gem sits in a crescent moon in the middle of a star, a small red gem no bigger than the end of a pencil sits at the top point of the star, and three similar gems in blue, yellow and green adorn the gaps between the edge of the star and the edge of the brooch. 

It’s quite beautiful, and Haru suddenly feels very protective of it. 

Haru looks up at Morgana as she lowers the brooch back onto her chest, resting both of her hands over it, right where her heart would be. 

“What does this make me?” She asks and Morgana smiles at her, his whiskers twitching.

“Sailor Moon.” He says. “You’re the Sailor Scout of the Moon, sworn to protect the Princess of the Moon, and when you see evil, you fight it. You can’t be afraid.” 

Haru clutches the brooch, her hand shaking slightly. “What if I am afraid?” She asks quietly. “What if I can’t do this?” 

Morgana gives her an encouraging smile. “Haru, I have faith that you can do good in this world.  And you won’t be alone, once their power awakens you’ll have people to help you, and then everything won’t be so scary.” He says. “You can do this, even if you think you can’t.”

Haru nods and closes her eyes, sucking in a deep breath to steady herself before she releases it quietly, dropping her hands into her lap as she opens her eyes and looks back to Morgana.

“Okay,” Haru says and Morgana grins. “What do I do?” 

“I’m glad you asked,” Morgana says, sitting up and leaping back onto Haru’s bed before he pads over to the window and pushes it open, sitting on the window sill to point a paw off into the city. Haru stands and joins him at the window. “There’s a man out there who’s harassing his ex-girlfriend. It’s your job to change his heart.”

Haru nods as she gazes over the nighttime cityscape, yellow and white lights glittering light diamonds in the dark. Two red lights on the top of the tallest buildings blink at her, and she thinks they resemble a cat, reflective and silent.

“Sounds easy enough.” She says. “Where do I go?” As if summoned by her words, the crescent moon on her tiara blinks gold and then lights up the path out of her window and into the night. Haru grins. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”

Morgana nods. “I’ll take off ahead and meet you there,” he says as he stands, leaping from her window to the nearest rooftop, turning back to her. “Try not to be too late.” He tells her before he disappears into the dark. 

Haru stands for a moment in front of her window, drinking in the night air before she sucks in a deep breath and steps up onto the window sill, steadying herself against the window frame. Despite her exposed skin, the chill of the air doesn’t cause her to shiver and a warmth curls happily in her chest—she realizes she feels exhilarated, giddy on the thought of going against her father and rebelling this way, drunk on the thought of jumping from roof top to lamppost, her hair whipping around her.  
She is a bird and her wings are no longer clipped, and she grins as she leaps from her window sill to the next rooftop. She staggers but doesn’t fall, quickly regaining her balance as she looks back towards her window and then off to where the golden footsteps in front of her are leading her, and she turns her back on her window and sprints forward.

In the darkness of the night she leaps from roof to lamppost to telephone posts until she reaches Morgana and an empty, desolate train station. Haru guesses that the last train must have already left. The air is strangely and eerily quiet here, free from the bustle of noise that makes up Tokyo, and it settles an uncomfortable, uneasy feeling in her chest.

Morgana looks up at her as she approaches and nods towards the train station. “He’s in there. His name is Nakanohara Natsuhiko.” He says and Haru nods, swallowing thickly as all the excitement drains out of her. The inside of the train station is shadowy and lit by flickering lights, and Haru clutches at the brooch. “I’m coming with you. Remember, don’t be afraid; he can’t hurt you.” 

Haru nods once, slowly. “Okay,” she says quietly as she allows her hands to fall to her sides, steeling herself as she clenches her hands into firsts. “Let’s go.” 

As she walks her heels make sharp clacking noises on the tile floor that echo around the room before being swallowed by the emptiness. Normally you’d find the odd person sleeping on a bench to wait for the first train in the morning, but this station is empty, devoid of any people or noise; as she makes her way further into the station, the overhead lights flicker on, illuminating the hallway in front of her one light at a time until the final light clicks on and reveals a figure.

Haru pauses, her heart beating wildly in her chest as the figure raises its head and turns slowly, sinisterly around to look at her. She stares defiantly back and takes the first step forward, continuing when the figure does not move but just watches her carefully.

The walls around her begin to warp as she walks, shimmering from clean white to ink black in a haze of red, the floor beneath her changes to black as well, but also magnifies her footsteps as she walks, leaving the figure to wince and clutch its ears. By the time she reaches the platform, the room around her is entirely black and releasing a red aura and she stands in front of the figure. 

“Nakanohara Natsuhiko,” Haru says, and she is surprised by how confident her voice is. “You have betrayed your expectations. In the name of the Moon, I’ll punish you!” She cries, crossing her arms in front of her face before she points directly at him. “Prepare to accept your fate, and change your heart!”

Morgana makes a noise from his place on one of the plastic chairs. “Were the theatrics really necessary?” He asks and Nakanohara laughs at her.

“Really?” He asks her, his voice low as he glares at her with startlingly amber eyes. “Someone sent a _child_ to punish me? A child in a _costume,_ no less.” He sneers.

Haru stares at him. “I am Sailor Moon, and you will change your heart.” She tells him firmly, her eyes glaring holes into his own. “You have betrayed the trust of the woman you once loved, and for that you shall pay.” 

“Such theatrics. That woman belongs to me! I do what I want with my own property!” He tells her, spitting the words like acid before he pauses, thinking for a moment as his lips upturn in a cruel smirk. “Okay. I’ll humor you. Just don’t cry when you lose and I take your heart.”

Red horns begin to sprout from his head as he grows, his skin tinted red under the dim light of the station as his hands and arms elongate, his fingers sharpening into claws while a row of sharp, dangerous teeth poke from between his lips. He grins at Haru who watches on in shock, already teetering back a step from the abruptness of situation, the terrifying nature of his true form.

Slowly, Nakanohara lifts a hand and crooks a hooked finger towards her. “Come on then.” He says, his voice dangerously calm. “Maybe after I take your heart I’ll add you to my collection.” 

Haru barely dodges as he swipes his hand towards her, the claws leaving indents on the floor where she once stood. She looks back to Morgana, her eyes wide with terror, hoping back and forth on her shoes, just barely moving out of the way when he takes a swipe at her.

“What do I do?” She cries, leaping away once more when Nakanohara swipes at her again. "I don’t have anything to fight him with!” 

“Of course you do!” Morgana calls back, sounding more amused than she likes. “Your tiara! Take it off!”

Haru lifts a hand to run her fingers over the shape of the tiara. “The tiara?” She repeats as she flips backwards and away from the Shadow in front of her, landing neatly on the toes of her shoes. “Take it off?” As she touches the crescent moon of her tiara, it disappears from beneath her fingers and appears, circular and hovering over the palm of her hand, she tilts it backwards and forwards. “Huh? It looks like a boomerang.” She comments.

Morgana grins and nods towards Nakanohara. “Throw it!” He encourages.

Haru pulls back her hand, watching as the tiara begins to spin on her hand. “Moon Tiara Boomerang!” She calls, the words falling from her lips so quickly she can’t stop them before she jerks her hand forward and releases the boomerang, watches as it spins around Nakanohara in a glowing golden light, slashing at him until he falls to his knees and the tiara returns to her hands. 

“I- I was wrong,” Nakanohara says as Haru approaches, lifting her tiara back to her forehead and moving her hand away when she feels it return to its proper place. “Please… Forgive me.”

Haru smiles, bending down to him. “All is forgiven,” she tells him. “Do not follow that girl anymore and do not speak to her. It’s the last thing she needs. Find a hobby, find something to occupy your free time.”

Nakanohara nods. “I will.” He promises, and Haru believes him. “Please, take my heart.”

Nakanohara reaches inside his chest and pulls out a pulsating red and black heart which dissolves in his hand as he lifts it to her, revealing a pearl earring. Haru takes it from him, opens her brooch and places the earring inside, smiling as she takes his hands and helps him to stand up.

“Thank you.” She says.

Fleetingly, Nakanohara smiles, and then he dissolves into red and black, leaving Haru alone in the middle of the train tracks.

Haru turns around to Morgana with a wild smile, hardly caring that he hair is wind-swept around her face, jumping back and forth on the toes of her shoes. "I did it!" She cheers, eyes wide as she throws her hands up into the air and laughs. "I did it! I actually got his heart and saved him! Oh, oh, I've never felt more... more..."

Morgana tilts his head. "Alive?" He suggests

Haru nods eagerly. "Yes! Alive... I've never felt more alive!"

“I didn’t find the silver crystal, but it seems I have found something exponentially more interesting.” At the sound of a male voice, Haru’s eyes snap up to the staircase at the end of the corridor, taking aa step backwards and watching as a figure with black hair strides towards her. “A Sailor Scout.” 

As he walks towards her, striding through the abandoned tunnel of the train station as if he knew he attracted all the eyes in the room, Haru watches him and feels very hot in the face. If anything, he looks more ridiculous than she does - standing in the middle of a weird train station dressed in a short skirt and gloves up to her elbows -  because he was wearing a suit. Professionally tailored and fitting him perfectly, complemented with golden buttons, a red cravat, and a cape that sweeps delicately through the air behind him. As he stops in front of her, only two steps between them, he tilts his top hat and grins at her behind a red mask, and Haru feels her heart squeeze in her chest—though he looks wildly out of place, there was something... about him that made her feel very flustered, something that made her want to talk to him and be close to him.

Oh.

 _Oh, my_.

Carefully, he offers her a red gloved hand. She stares down at it and then looks back up at him. “I am Tuxedo Mask, but you may call me Joker.”

Haru reaches up to take his hand. She opens her mouth, about to say her real name before she stops herself, collects her bearings and tries again. Sailor Moon.” She says, offering him a tentative smile. “It’s a pleasure.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Joker says, lifting her hand up to his lips to place a small kiss on her knuckles. Haru’s face flushes bright pink, waiting for Joker to release her hand before she clutches it to her chest. “You did well. I’m sure we’ll meet again some time.” 

Haru nods dumbly. “Yes… I-I’m sure we will.” She agrees breathlessly. She doesn't know what else to say.

Joker turns. “I’ll be sure to remember your name. For now, farewell.” He says giving Haru a devilishly handsome smile before he turns and sweeps up the corridor. 

Haru watches, dumfounded for a moment before she jolts back to her senses and dashes after him, Morgana following quickly behind on her heel. Her shoes click-clack over the white tile and she feels her lungs burning as she spits down the winding corridors and up the stairs to break into the crisp night air, the chill tingling at the warmth colouring her cheeks. She exits the train station just in time to see Joker leap away into the light of the moon from lamppost to lamppost, his cape billowing out behind him like the sails of a ship.

Morgana watches him go with her. “Tuxedo Mask, huh?” He says, tail twitching with interest. “Or... Joker. I have a feeling about this guy.”

“Me too…” Haru agrees wistfully. “He’s pretty charming. Is he a Scout like me?”

Morgana shakes his head. “No, at least, I don’t think so.” He says thoughtfully and Haru doesn't know why she feels disappointed. “I mean, I didn’t sense anything like I did with you. I’d be able to tell if he were a scout.”

Haru thinks for a moment. “But there are other Scouts?” She asks and Morgana nods his head. “In that case, we should put every effort into fighting them. As much fun as that was, it would nice if I didn’t have to do it alone.”

“Everything is better with friends.” Morgana agrees, standing up to leap onto a bench. “We should get you back to your bedroom before anyone notices.” He says and, reluctantly, Haru has to agree.

 As much as she adores being able to leap onto lampposts and run in high heels, the risk of being caught is far too high.

“You’re right.” Haru agrees as she readies herself and jumps onto the nearest roof, shaking a little as she lands. “We’ll begin looking in the morning.” 

* * * 

Another day in Tokyo meant another day when the elusive vigilante Sailor V was in the newspapers, primarily as a headline, but never off the front page. Haru always looked up to Sailor V and wanted to be more like her; more rebellious, more gorgeous, more confident, more than someone who just did what they were told—more free, more alive. It was her only dream for so very long, and as Haru passed a television that was broadcasting Sailor V’s name, she realized that she had that now. She was more than she was yesterday, and she’d continue to be more, even if she was the only one who knew about it.

Morgana doesn't say anything as the news filters past, waiting at Haru’s heels for her continue to school.

“Do you think I could be anything like Sailor V?” Haru asks Morgana as she finally tears herself away from the window and begins walking again, Morgana trotting at her ankles. “She’s so good at the vigilante stuff. I don’t know how I could ever live up to it.”

Morgana brushes up against Haru’s leg in reassurance. “You’re doing great.” He assures her. “Don’t think about Sailor V right now, just try and focus on finding the rest of y—the Scouts.” 

Haru nods. “Okay.” She agrees, determined as she begins to scan the crowds of people around her for any sign of in innormalcy before she hesitates, looking down at Morgana, a nervous smile on her lips. “What exactly am I looking for?”

“You’re a Scout, you should be able to sense them too, but I have the name of the next Scout.” Morgana says and Haru stops in her tracks, glaring down at him. Morgana looks right back up. “What’s the nasty look for? You know, if the wind changes your face will get stuck that way.” 

Haru rolls her eyes as she turns and continues to walk. “You could have told me that you knew their name sooner!” She says, huffing. “Who are they?”

“Niijima Makoto.” Morgana says and Haru’s eyes widen, a feeling of sinking dread filling her chest. “What is it?”

“She…” Haru begins, trailing off as she tries to piece her thoughts together. “She goes to my school… she’s the president of the student council. Oh, my… if she finds out I’m a Scout we’ll be done for!” Haru cries, burying the lower half of her face into the collar of her pink sweater.

Morgana gives Haru a confused look, his head tilted to the side. “What?” he asks.

“I don’t think prancing about in a leotard is exactly considered legal,” Haru says and Morgana hums in agreement. “If Niijima doesn’t agree… then I could be kicked out of Shujin.”

“That wouldn’t be the end of the world.” Morgana says and Haru winces.

“It would be to me.” She replies quietly. “Let’s just get to school.” 

Morgana nods. “Invite Niijima to the arcade after school.” Morgana says, grinning mischievously when Haru gives him a curious look. “I have a plan.”

Haru nods and they walk in silence until they reach Shujin and separate; Haru heading into the premises, and Morgana leaping up onto the wall. As Haru replaces her outdoor shoes with her indoor ones, she wonders just how she is going to get Makoto Niijima, the student council president to agree to go to the arcade with her after school. They hadn't even made eye contact let alone talked to each other past her asking Haru if her father would be willing to contribute to Shujin's charity fund, and even then Haru had hurried away the moment after she gave her ascent. 

Sighing, she steels herself and heads into the building. Starting at the bottom of the school and making her way up to the top, Haru searches for Makoto, eventually finding her in the library, wedged between two shelves and reading a book. Haru watches as she sighs and places the book back on the shelf, picking up another, reading a couple of lines before replacing the book.

As Makoto reaches for another book, Haru takes the chance to walk up to her with a warm smile. “Excuse me?” She asks quietly, and Makoto looks at her over the cover of the book. The silence is deafening around them as Haru smile at Makoto who just looks vaguely annoyed the longer the silence goes on. Realising she has to say something more, she panics. “Do you have any recommendations?” 

If she could in this situation, Haru would smack herself in the middle of her forehead. Was ‘ _Do you have any recommendations?_ ’ really the best she could come up with? Should she even be a Sailor Scout if she couldn’t think fast? 

Makoto looks at her for a moment, eyeing her up and down, before she nods. “I recommend _Black Rain_ ,” Makoto says as she picks the book off the shelf and hands it to Haru. “It’s a novel based on the events of the Hiroshima bombing. It’s hard to read at some points, but it’s good.”

Haru nods numbly down at the book in her hands and then smiles at Makoto. “Oh! Thank you very much!” She says, before she hesitates. Arcade. Arcade. _How in the name of the moon was she going to bring up the Arcade?!_

“Yes?” Makoto asks and Haru’s eyes snap to hers, startled. Makoto raises an eyebrow. “You looked like you wanted to say something.”

Haru laughs nervously and tucks her hair behind her ear, twirling a strand around her finger. “Yes,” she agrees. “Well… I was wondering if maybe you’d like to meet today after school?” She asks and Makoto looks taken aback, frowning slighting over the edge of the book. Again, Haru panics.. “I was wanting to... talk and get to know you better… we could get..." Her eyes dart around the library quickly, her gaze fixing on a girl quietly sipping a can of cols espresso behind her book and she jumps on it. " _Coffee!_ We could get coffee! My treat!” She suggests. “Oh! I’m Okumura Haru… by the way.”

"I know who you are." Makoto says, looking hesitantly down at the book in her hands and Haru winces. “I wouldn’t want to bother you.” She says.

“Not at all.” Haru assures her with a nervous, breathy laugh and a sweep of her hand. “But I won’t force you.”

“No, I’d like that.” Makoto says, allowing the corners of her lips to twitch in a smile. “Thank you.”

Haru smiles and sighs in relief. “Oh, I’m glad! We’ll meet at the front gates.” She says before she turns to leave. “I’ll be going now." 

Makoto frowns a little. “Aren’t you going to check out your book?” She asks, pointing to the book in Haru’s hands. Haru flushes and nods. 

“Of course!” Haru replies, heading over to the librarian so she could check out her book. “See you later!” She says, giving Makoto a wave before she heads out of the library. 

Once in the cool, noisy surroundings of the outside corridor Haru frowns down at the book in her hands and sighs as she tucks it into her bag before heading off to her class. Well, at least she had some reading for the walk home. As for her lame excuse to approach Makoto, the best thing about it was that it _worked_ —all she had to do know was get coffee and suggest that they try out a game in the arcade, then Morgana would do the rest. 

Fleetingly, Haru wonders if it is a wise idea to let a talking cat be the mastermind of the grand plan to awaken Makoto as a Sailor Scout. Haru tells her common sense to shut up.

* * *

Surprisingly, Haru is happy to find that she and Makoto have a lot in common. 

They both have lost a parent—which, unfortunately, is the most depressing of their similarities—and they both enjoy their coffee with milk and a little sugar, for example. Makoto guided Haru to a quaint little off-the-beaten track place, and informed Haru that their curry was amazing and that she’d have to come back some time to try it. Haru had said that she’d love to come back, and that Makoto would have to come too so she could recommend a curry to her. Makoto had smiled, and Haru had noted that it was the happiest she had seen Makoto in her presence.

So, needless to say, the evening was going well. The only problem now was trying to figure out how to convince Makoto to go into an arcade. 

“Haru,” Makoto calls and Haru flushes upon realizing she had walked on ahead without realizing Makoto had stopped, lost in her own thoughts. Coincidentally, Makoto was peering into the window of an arcade, looking at the stuffed toys in the machine with a tentatively wistful look, and pointing at something. “Don’t you think it’s cute?” She asks.

Haru follows the line of her finger until her gaze rests upon a pocket sized fluffy poodle plush and smiles. “It’s very cute!” She agrees and then her eyes widen and she edges towards the arcade door, smiling deviously. “We could try to win it if you like.” She suggests and Makoto peers at her curiously.

“You wouldn’t mind?” Makoto asks and Haru shakes her head.

“No!” She assures eagerly. “In fact, I wanted to try out a couple of games in here myself.”

Makoto smiles and they both make their way into the arcade. Haru stands behind Makoto as she inserts the coins into the machine and readies herself, her hands on the joystick and buttons. She watches as Makoto carefully eases the claw over the poodle toy and allows her eyes to widen as the claw picks it up and drops it into the chute, a smile stretching her lips as Makoto retrieves it and grins. Clutching it gently on her right hand and petting it's head softly with one finger.

“Tada!” Makoto cheers, giggling when she lifts the poodle’s paws into the air in celebration. Behind her, Haru watches as Morgana slips between people's legs and behind another machine, disappearing until he leaps up to the top, sitting nicely with his tail curving into an 's'.

Haru claps. “Ah! Well done, Niijima!” She says in awe, before he fakes a pout and a wistful sigh. “I could never win a toy in these machines.”

“I could win one for you if you like.” Makoto offers “Okay.” Haru agrees with a smile. “But I’d like something from that machine.” She says, pointing to the machine with Morgana on top.

Makoto turns just after Morgana leaps from it and she smiles. “Okay.” She agrees. 

Haru follows Makoto across the floor to the machine, standing quietly behind her as she takes her seat. The game is a simple shooter, and Haru happily watches as she clears the game without dying once, cheering quietly when something drops from the prize chute. 

Makoto reaches down and hands it to her with a smile. “For you, Okumura.” She says.

The prize in Makoto’s hand is a pink pen with a red plastic gem set perfectly in the middle of a golden crown on the cap. She glances down at the brooch on her chest and realizes that the pen is meant for her, and she takes it from Makoto gratefully. As Makoto gets up to leave, she panics and shoves her back down in the seat, removing her hands from her shoulders as if she’d been burned when Makoto looks at her.

“You should win one too!” Haru encourages quickly, holding her pen up to her face with a brilliant smile. “Then we could match!”

Makoto frowns, “Match?” She asks. 

Haru nods. “Yes!” She says quickly. “That’s what friends do, they have matching stuff. Like... Shiho and Takamaki! They have matching keyrings!"

For a moment, Makoto just blinks at her. “Are we friends?” She asks and Haru flushes red.

“I think we are.” Haru replies sheepishly, kicking her feet slightly. “If you want to be.”

“I do.” Makoto assures with a smile. “Can I call you Haru?” She asks.

Taken aback but pleased, Haru nods in reply. “Only if I can call you Makoto.” She says and Makoto grins.

“Deal.”

Haru smiles and sighs in relief when Makoto turns back to the game. As much as she needed an excuse to get away with shoving Makoto down like that, she does mean it; that she wants to be friends with her. Makoto is intelligent, confident and approachable, and after not having a friend for feels like eons, hanging out with and just being a teenager with Makoto is a welcome breath of fresh air. As the ‘ _GAME COMPLETE_ ’ text appears on the machine, Haru startled herself with the sound of the prize dropping down into the shoot and looks to Makoto in time to see her holding a blue pen. The cap of her pen is decorated with a blue star gem inlaid in the middle of a golden tiara. 

Haru smiles, reaching out to Makoto’s pen with her own, tapping the caps together. “We match now!” She says happily.

Makoto looks between Haru and the pens before smiling fondly down at them. “Yeah.”


End file.
